so I’m training for a triathlon (hopefully later this year) but am also training to enter into the fire or police academy. So my dilemma is: I’m doing a lot of running, cycling and swimming but also want to incorporate strength training to retain some strength for the academy. I’ve searched for a good strength training plan that will be dual function (endurance athlete/academy strength) but haven’t had too much luck finding anything good. Was wondering if anyone had any plans they had which they could share so i can follow?
Ive also wondered about this too. I used to only lift weights, then caught the triathlon bug 3-4yrs ago. This year I’ve been taking it as serious as I can give time restraints of full time job. I know time and patience and consistency is the key but my thoughts have wondered into the area of is their anything I could add that would more quickly see gains. Much like tweaking aerobike position or swim form for minimal gains is their any non-(swim, bike, run) exercise I could add that would yeild results. Im not looking to replace S,B,R just add without overtraining.
so I’m training for a triathlon (hopefully later this year) but am also training to enter into the fire or police academy. So my dilemma is: I’m doing a lot of running, cycling and swimming but also want to incorporate strength training to retain some strength for the academy. I’ve searched for a good strength training plan that will be dual function (endurance athlete/academy strength) but haven’t had too much luck finding anything good. Was wondering if anyone had any plans they had which they could share so i can follow?
Thanks!
I would prioritize the strength training. Triathlon is a hobby, albeit a fun one. I would do whatever I needed to to get into the academy, and if the triathlon training suffers in the short term, so be it. Find a strength training regimen for firefighters (Will be above what PD usually require), and fit in endurance training around that. Plenty of time after academy and getting the job you want to do triathlon.
Thanks for the advice. Yeah I think prioritizing the strength training is a good idea. I definitely want to keep the “endurance” aspect of it as a central feature of my workout program because according to a lot of FF’s an LEO’s I know, they would all rather have a guy who has a perfect balance of endurance and strength. Some ff’s have even gone as far enough to say that they don’t like people who are bodybuilder types due to the fact that there is more oxygen required to feed the muscles and it’s hard to perform for extended periods of time with heavy gear on with a lot of muscle mass. I was thinking maybe a MMA workout routine? I mean, a lot of these guys run and run and run and then they lift and lift and lift. Would that be a good compromise?
Thanks for the advice. Yeah I think prioritizing the strength training is a good idea. I definitely want to keep the “endurance” aspect of it as a central feature of my workout program because according to a lot of FF’s an LEO’s I know, they would all rather have a guy who has a perfect balance of endurance and strength. Some ff’s have even gone as far enough to say that they don’t like people who are bodybuilder types due to the fact that there is more oxygen required to feed the muscles and it’s hard to perform for extended periods of time with heavy gear on with a lot of muscle mass. I was thinking maybe a MMA workout routine? I mean, a lot of these guys run and run and run and then they lift and lift and lift. Would that be a good compromise?
Mmm…you want functional strength. Especially for the firefighter physical testing, so I’d do more towards what you’d be doing in the testing/academy. If you have 20 hours a week to train, I’d split it probably in a 3 days on, 1 day off strength routine at 1 - 1.5 hours per day (9 hrs out of every 8 days) and the rest (11 hours) towards the endurance end. Focus on multiple joint movements (ala Stronglifts 5x5) supplemented with motion specific exercises at higher rep counts.
For example: For the attic chop (pounding with a sledge on a meter to simulate chopping a hole in the roof), you want fast, strong biceps/triceps. For raising the ladder from one set of hooks to a different set, deltoids. Attic crawl is just agility, hose drag is legs and core, same with the 180 lb dummy drag. (I’m going from what I remember when I went through the Phoenix fire testing). If you know what the test consists of, gear your training specifically to be good at those things, and use the tri training for your endurance.
I’m a FF, and all I do is tri training. Now the question is what is the academy geared towards, as far as fitness goes? I did a multi agency academy when I got hired and they did pretty much running only, everyday started with a minimum 5 mile run. Not much, but you make that breakfast then a whole day of class and drills and you hoped for the short 5 miler instead of the longer 9 miler to start your day. Our fitness tests were also 1.5 mile runs within 11:30min so I think thats why they emphasized that. And guess what, the big muscle builder types always suffered. And guess who are the guys that get tired the fastest and need the most air bottles changed out at a fire call? That’s right the muscle builder guys.
Now I’m 6’3" 220# and should be a muscle guy (I’m the guy who flies past you and you think there’s no way he can keep it up but does), but I spend my time doing SBR cause that’s what I want to do and need to do to keep my size down. I’m just built that way and fight it to enjoy tri’s. My suggestion for you, stick to Oly distance training (just think that distance is a good compromise), and do things like bleacher miles (go to a track and every lap run the steps in the bleachers and repeat until done) to build stair climbing strength, then just do lots of pushups and pullups. If you can get a hold of P90x videos, those I think are good for general body strength and popular in the stations.
Not really a plan to follow, but my opinion is you’re better served being aerobic fit than a walking piece of muscle. I don’t know your build type, maybe you’re a twig and need the building. If you are a aerobic fit guy as it is then yeah you could spend more time strength training, but my fit-o-meter watching others I work with tells me if you are aerobicly fit, this job is just easier to do and that includes academy.
I haven’t used them but Ben Greenfeild has some plans that incorporate both. You can check out his website for more details. I hate to mention it here but if your training for shorter distance triathlon and academy, crossfit might be a good fit, just don’t hurt yourself doing it.
I would train like a powerlifter going down in weight class to best server your hybrid goals. Your legs will be smashed and you will have to strategize a weekly training skeleton that gives them some rest and works with your schedule.
Look into a Wendler 5/3/1 program should have low time commitment with some good strength results for the major movements.
P90x or Insanity might fit the bill, supplement with some pure strength motions on your own. I think this would be far more useful than tritraining for police/fire academy. Contrary to what people believe, triathlon or each specific endurance sport is highly specific and doesn’t x-over that well even with great cardio. You might be able to run a 15 min 5k, swim the 100m in 55, and bike 25+mph but make you haul heavy water hoses up and down stairs as fast as possible - those are not motions you train for in tri and you’ll find yourself woefully unprepared without the additional strength. My buddy was one of those sub2:40 marathon guys and in a intermediate jujitsu class I took with him, he looked no better than a nonathlete - totally huffing and puffing once he was on the mat with you because he clearly didn’t have high level jujitsu-specific muscular endurance.
The p90x and insanity stuff is pretty high rep and fast moving, and covers a lot of motions, so if you do them as hard as they say, you should be pretty good endurance and strengthwise for general training.
awesome suggestions everyone! Thanks so much. So what i think i’ll be doing, and help me to critique it so i can improve, is do insanity 2-3 times a week, wendler weight lifting program (because i looked into it and really liked the concept) 3 times a week and fit in running, cycling and bodyweight training in between all of that. I usually don’t work until the early evening so I have time in the mornings. Does that sound like something that will help me get some good results and give me a balance of everything I need/want?
awesome suggestions everyone! Thanks so much. So what i think i’ll be doing, and help me to critique it so i can improve, is do insanity 2-3 times a week, wendler weight lifting program (because i looked into it and really liked the concept) 3 times a week and fit in running, cycling and bodyweight training in between all of that. I usually don’t work until the early evening so I have time in the mornings. Does that sound like something that will help me get some good results and give me a balance of everything I need/want?
6 days a week of resistance training plus running, cycling, and other bodyweight training? Sounds like overtraining to me.
awesome suggestions everyone! Thanks so much. So what i think i’ll be doing, and help me to critique it so i can improve, is do insanity 2-3 times a week, wendler weight lifting program (because i looked into it and really liked the concept) 3 times a week and fit in running, cycling and bodyweight training in between all of that. I usually don’t work until the early evening so I have time in the mornings. Does that sound like something that will help me get some good results and give me a balance of everything I need/want?
Drop the insanity…seriously. There is nothing balanced or reasonable in what you suggest here. Just stick with strength training 3 X week (Wendler if you like). Include pullups and maybe dips (instead of bench press) as part of the Wendler program. It is hard enough to gain strength. to try to gain strength while also doing insanity (stop the insanity!!) and extra body weight training, plus triathlon, big mistake.
After college running I went into the Air Force for PJ/CCT training. Pretty intense training. Anyways, probably as fit as I have ever been in my life. Lots of:
pull ups, push ups, mtn climbers, burpees, iron mikes, lunges, arm haulers, kettle bell swings, tire flipping, rope climbing
We would swim/fin, run and do the above everyday. Have you considered cross fit? Check out mountain athlete.com, exrx.net.
After college running I went into the Air Force for PJ/CCT training. Pretty intense training. Anyways, probably as fit as I have ever been in my life. Lots of:
pull ups, push ups, mtn climbers, burpees, iron mikes, lunges, arm haulers, kettle bell swings, tire flipping, rope climbing
We would swim/fin, run and do the above everyday. Have you considered cross fit? Check out mountain athlete.com, exrx.net.
Crossfit, p90X, Insanity, all too much to mix with a full triathlon training schedule. As a stand alone program, OK.
I am in a similar boat. Volunteer Firefighter currently. I process for a big city fire department right now. I am also training for 2 Ironmans this year.
Right now I am taking out run training of my tri build. Focusing on the bike and well the swim is cake for me so I can cut that back with little impact. I am following the crossfit main set now to have a set thing to follow. I am stopping my pure strength lifting. Because I know the PT instructor leans towards crossfit style workouts during pt at the academy. I will be throwing in long bike days and swim days along with whatever the WOD is those will be my long days. Along with lots of pull ups push ups and sit ups.
awesome suggestions everyone! Thanks so much. So what i think i’ll be doing, and help me to critique it so i can improve, is do insanity 2-3 times a week, wendler weight lifting program (because i looked into it and really liked the concept) 3 times a week and fit in running, cycling and bodyweight training in between all of that. I usually don’t work until the early evening so I have time in the mornings. Does that sound like something that will help me get some good results and give me a balance of everything I need/want?
Wendler is really all you need if you are looking for pure 1RM strength, which is what it is designed to improve. Insanity is conditioning. Pick one but don’t do both - and don’t even bother with bodyweight stuff. And when are you going to have time to do all of this? Strength training doesn’t need to be done more, it needs to be done with the appropriate intensity and application and then recovery takes over.
so I’m training for a triathlon (hopefully later this year) but am also training to enter into the fire or police academy. So my dilemma is: I’m doing a lot of running, cycling and swimming but also want to incorporate strength training to retain some strength for the academy. I’ve searched for a good strength training plan that will be dual function (endurance athlete/academy strength) but haven’t had too much luck finding anything good. Was wondering if anyone had any plans they had which they could share so i can follow?
Thanks!
Just accept your choice you don’t have to be amazing at both. Triathlon is not bringing you in any income. So focus on being strong enough to function well at work and then be the fastest you can while maintains the fitness you need for your job. I work as a trainer. The other trainers laugh at me with my lack of quickness and measly bench press. But we all ran a half marathon last weekend they ran 1:4x and were wrecked for a week I ran 1:23 and was fine. I am sure you will still beat most of your colleges even if you put your focus on strength.
Have fun, enjoy it, don’t take yourself too seriously.
This is why i posted here. Thanks so much everyone. So from what I’m getting, i should focus on ST and body weight exercises over the insanity and Tri training? I want to keep the running aspect since the academy is usually all running. So would ST 3 times a week (probably sticking to wendler program because I do really like it) and running the other times be a good plan? I definitely don’t want to overtrain.